Grading the big-name, big-money coordinator hires: Who ranked highest?

The expansion of the College Football Playoff has magnified many elements in the sport, including the hiring of new coordinators.

For teams hovering on the fringes of the CFP, the right new playcaller (or two) can make the difference between moving into the field or being left out.

In some cases, teams had obvious deficiencies that led to hires of new coordinators.

Other times, coordinators were brought in to upgrade already solid and successful units.

Saturday's matchup between No.

4 Penn State and USC at the Los Angeles Coliseum underscores the significance of new coordinators and the scrutiny they now find themselves under.

Penn State carries the distinction of the best college football team never to have made the CFP.

The Lions are 93-39 with five 10-win seasons since the playoff launched in 2014, also coach James Franklin's first season.

Franklin made it clear at Big Ten media days in July that the CFP is the new standard for PSU.

A huge key would be sparking an offense that last year generated only 47 plays of 20 yards or longer, which ranked 97th nationally.

Franklin hired Andy Kotelnicki, whose creative scheme helped revive the Kansas program, to provide the kindling.

Lincoln Riley went from not advancing in the CFP because of his defense at Oklahoma to not even making the field of four during his first two seasons at USC, despite having Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams at quarterback.

While Penn State struggled to make big plays on offense, USC hemorrhaged them on defense, ranking 104th in yards per play allowed and 100th in missed tackles.

Riley looked across town to UCLA for a solution, bringing in D'Anton Lynn as defensive coordinator.

Kotelnicki, Lynn and a handful of other notable first-year coordinators have had a half-season to impact and upgrade their new units.

Here's a snapshot of what six new coordinators have done so far, as well as grades through the first six weeks.

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